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Hunger Strike by Journalists –not a Method for Fighting –Head of Azerbaijani Delegation to PACE

Azerbaijan, Baku, 2 April / Trend corr. S.Ilhamgizi / Samad Seidov, head of Azerbaijani Delegation to PACE, believes that hunger strike by the journalists is not a method of fight. "Law supremacy concerns all and there should not be a different attitude towards the journalists," Seidov said to the journalists.

At present, there are three detained journalists in Azerbaijan due to their professional activities. They are Ganimat Zahid- chief editor of Azadlig newspaper, Mirza Sakit- a journalist of Azadlig newspaper and Eynulla Fatullayev- chief editor of Gundalik Azerbaijan and Realni Azerbaijan newspapers.

On 26 March, the imprisoned Fatullayav went on a hunger strike. The editor-in-chief demands objective consideration of his case, release of the arrested journalists and application of concrete protection mechanisms of the Council of Europe and OSCE.

The chief editor of Gundelik Azerbaijan newspaper- Shahvalad Chobanoglu, editor-in-chief of Yeni Musavat newspaper- Zahid Safaroglu and journalist of the newspaper- Elshan Balakhanli, are on a hunger strike for the five consecutive days to support the editor-in-chief of Gundalik Azerbaijan and Realniy Azerbaijan newspaper, Eynulla Fatullayev.

Seidov added that nobody must politicize the hunger strike started by the journalists.

The Azerbaijani Government is ready to discuss the issue.

The current situation in Azerbaijan will be discussed during the meeting of Council of Europe Monitoring Committee in April and PACE session in June.